Family demands answers after officer shoots man in face

Jenna Hanchard spoke with family members who are now questioning the actions of police.

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An officer shot one person during an incident outside a KCMO home.

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Copyright 2014 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A community is angered and outraged after friends and family members say police shot 36-year-old Anthony Contreras in the face Tuesday afternoon.

Another’s mother Charlotte said she was at the house with him when the shooting happened.

“He took off the front porch and started running to the back of the house,” she said. “They shot him in his face and then there were puddles of blood,

Police have not confirmed the identity of the person shot, but said they were at the house to execute a search warrant.

“The subject fled the residence and during that time officers put out a chase, at that time the officer then shot the subject,” Sgt. Kari Thompson said.

Officers would not tell us if the man had a weapon and say he was actually running away from police.

Family members say Contreras has spent time in prison and has been known to run from police. But they claim he wasn’t armed at the time of the shooting and that’s why they claim the incident was unjust.

“Everybody has to pay for their crime but nobody gets shot in the face for running out the back door with nothing in their hands. You have to feel threatened for their life,” Contreras’ cousin Shaun Magana said.

Officers say at the time, the officer believed the subject was preparing to shoot him.

The officer involved in the shooting is on paid leave which is standard procedure with the department.

Copyright 2014 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.